Mystery: But the Witch's Path

Back in the real world, Altair rubbed his throbbing temples with his fingers to relieve his mental fatigue.

Yesterday afternoon, after concluding his conversation with Clayton Sr., Altair conducted weapons tests on the first batch of Mosin-Nagants produced that morning.

After passing the test, it was handed over to Adam so that he could go to the transaction.

Whether it was due to Adam's psychological manipulation or their genuine urgent need for these "new weapons," this morning, everyone unanimously completed weapons testing and then approached Adam, demanding immediate negotiations and a deal.

So after having breakfast, Altair didn't have time to entertain Benson and went straight to Adam's Church of Bones.

Of course, for the sake of secrecy, Adam still took control of the Church of Bones and allowed Altair to conduct one-on-one transactions and negotiations with them.

Although these individuals hold high positions, they cannot make decisions on large-scale arms purchases for an "organization or country" entirely on their own.

Basically, after hearing Altair's terms, they would go offline to discuss them with his decision-makers, then come back online to deliver the results. This back-and-forth process resulted in Altair engaging in at least dozens of negotiations.

Once he had calmed down, Altair went straight to the reception room.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance to the drawing room, the servant, ever observant, opened the door. After Altair entered, old Clayton led Benson to his feet and greeted him, "Good morning, Earl Altair."

Altair nodded slightly, then casually found a seat and sat down, before looking at the two people still standing.

Old Clayton then introduced, "Earl Altair, this is Mr. Benson Moretti, whom I have been wanting to introduce to you."

"Benson, this is the new owner of Morse, the daughter of the Baron Sheffield, and the Earl of Altair Sheffield, personally appointed by His Majesty King George III."

After old Clayton finished his introductions, Altair showed no intention of getting up. The difference in their social status was simply too great; even if the nobles knew of her impolite behavior, no one would call her rude.

After old Clayton finished introducing her, Benson bowed to her and said, "Good morning, Earl Altair. On behalf of my family, I extend my greetings to you."

Looking at the young man with an older-looking face, Altair chuckled, nodded, and gestured for the two to sit down.

He then said, "Benson Moretti, my old butler Clayton has always praised you as a rare talent."

"But unfortunately, I didn't sense anything special about you during this meeting."

Benson remained calm and did not rush to defend himself. Instead, he said, "Count Altair, I believe that the value of 'talent' does not necessarily lie in verbal communication, but in various aspects such as the ability to solve problems, the reliability of their work, and the ability to make others feel at ease."

"I think Butler Clayton may have noticed some details in my work and thought I had a quality that others didn't, so he introduced me to you. But I also understand that in your eyes, these are still far from enough."

He paused, then added, "If you're willing to give me a chance, I will prove myself with results. I'm also aware of my shortcomings, but I want to improve myself as soon as possible until I deserve your praise."

As Altair watched Benson fawn over him, he couldn't help but recall his own 'past life.' No... my past life wasn't even as good as his. At least he supported his younger brother and sister through his own efforts.

Looking at him, Altair smiled and said, "Not bad, at least you're calmer than I expected."

She then asked curiously, "I heard you currently have a student at university who studies history."

"I'm curious why he chose history as his major. After all, for children from poor families, history often means higher risks, slower returns, and narrower career paths."

"On the contrary, I have a better impression of your sister Melissa because she has chosen a more realistic path, knowing that as long as you do well in school, you won't have to worry about finding a job."

Benson was slightly taken aback; he clearly hadn't expected the topic to suddenly shift to Klein and Melissa, but he quickly regained his composure.

Benson replied calmly, "Count Altair, Klein has loved reading since he was a child, especially history books. He often says that the past is like a mirror, allowing people to see the present clearly and think about the future."

"Melissa herself loves mechanical design and has been working hard to become a mechanical designer."

Altair really hadn't expected this reason. Because of his interest, and with his brother Benson willing to support him, she had initially thought it was because other majors were full or he had been forced to switch majors.

"I like it," Altair repeated softly, explaining why. He then added, "History is a discipline that requires patience and time. For ordinary people, it's not always an easy path."

"If he's willing to change his major, I can write a letter myself asking his university to change his major. I think his university would be happy to do that for me, it's such a small thing."

Benson nodded, but did not answer Altair's question. Instead, he said, "Count Altair, our family is indeed not wealthy, and I have worried about his choice."

"But I think Klein should stick to doing what he truly loves."

After saying this, Benson displayed a humble yet assertive attitude towards Klein's change of major.

Altair cautioned, "Excessive idealism cannot change reality. Sooner or later, he will enter society and face issues such as earning a living, feeding his family, etc. You can't support him forever."

"And you've done just that for him, what are you going to do now? My housekeeper told me that you didn't have to work so hard; you could use your free time to improve yourself. But you chose to sacrifice your free time for a little more weekly pay. Look at you now; anyone who doesn't know your age would think you're over 30."

As he spoke, Altair's expression grew increasingly angry. "You've done everything for everyone, but what about you? Have you even thought about what you'll do in the future?!"

As he said this, Altair looked at Benson, who was standing silently in front of him, and said loudly:

"go out!"

Sensing the change in Altair's expression, old Clayton quickly stepped forward, escorted Benson to the door of the reception room, and said, "Benson, go take a walk in the garden or the surrounding area to clear your head. I'll come find you later."

After seeing Benson off, old Clayton returned. Once Altair had calmed down, he approached with a smile and asked, "Count Altair, what is your opinion on how to handle Mr. Benson?"

Looking at the grinning man before him, Altair said viciously, "Aren't you afraid I'll kill him right now or turn him into a lump of mud forever?"

Old Clayton said expressionlessly, "Both thunder and rain are blessings, and I believe that what angers you, Earl, is not his rebuttal, but rather his sense of responsibility towards his family."

"You even admire his sense of responsibility, but you don't allow him to abandon himself as well."

"Let him go back." After saying that, Altair added, "Arrange a simple job for him with a weekly wage that isn't too high, but enough to cover the cost of moving. As for his further studies, that's up to him."

"You can leave now."

Old Clayton chuckled and said to Altair, "Understood."

He then picked up a small gift box from the side and said to her, "This is a gift that the Moretti family prepared for you."

After Altair received it, old Clayton left the drawing room immediately.

After opening the gift box, Altair took a bite and said, "This is awful."